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Not even Brown can end Otago's curse
Special Correspondent Auckland:
The Eden Park curse remains and the Otago Highlanders will
again return empty-handed to Dunedin after their 16-26 loss to
the Auckland Blues last night.
There was not even a bonus point for the Highlanders after Carlos
Spencer nailed a last-minute penalty when Jeff Wilson broke clear
down field, only for the southerners to be penalised for running
obstruction. It was the Highlanders' third consecutive loss as
they were outscored three tries to one in a tight, tense battle
which broke open for the Blues in the second spell. The Highlanders
remain on 21 points, but the Blues now have 19 and renewed prospects
of making the semis. The Highlanders dominated possession and
territory in thefirst spell but, apart from thefirst minute -
when centre Romi Ropati was held up in goalafter an attacking
scrum - they did not look like scoring.
The Blues led 10-9 at the break, prop Craig Dowd crashing over
for the only try after 32 minutes when Orene Ai'i made a slashing
run and wing Doug Howlett was brought down just short. There was
a suggestion of either hands in the ruck, or a knock on, to enable
the ball to emerge on the Blues' side, but Auckland gained the
benefit of any doubt. Tony Brown, who made an unscheduled appearance
after not being named in the team, showed few ill-effects of his
sprained right ankle when he goaled a penalty from 52m, one of
three he kicked in the first half. But it was the Blues who played
with more confidence and cohesion in the second spell, Howlett
scoring a vital try after nine minutes following a big break by
strong-running centre Iliesa Tanivula. Ahead 15-9, the Blues put
themselves on easy street with an excellent 60m try 18 minutes
from the end. Lock Troy Flavell made the initial break, Joeli
Vidiri burst down the right wing and Spencer finished off in the
corner.
But the Highlanders roared back and finally scored their only
try eight minutes later. Pita Alatini burst almost to the line,
Ai'i fumbled, Karl Te Nana gathered and Ropati scored. With the
margin reduced to four points, the Highlanders seemed to have
every chance of pulling off victory, but Spencer's two late penalty
goals sealed their fate. Ironically, the 26-16 score was the same
that Otago won by in 1976, its last successful venture to Eden
Park.
The Highlanders frequently had the Blues' scrum back-pedalling,
Josh Kronfeld was almost back to his best, but the backline again
seemed bereft of continuity and cohesion. Individually, there
were some fine skills from Jeff Wilson, Ropati and Alatini, and
dauntless courage by Brown, but collectively they did not look
like outwitting a well-marshalled Blues defence. "We made some
really good breaks in the first half and we needed to score from
them," frustrated captain Anton Oliver said later. "It would have
made a difference to our confidence because it's not high at the
moment. We pushed 50-50 passes and ended up getting stung for
it. We needed 10-15 points more than we got in the first half."
Oliver said the Highlanders' game against the Chiefs at Carisbrook
next Thursday was now even more crucial. "We've got to win. It's
backs against the wall stuff and we'll have to come out firing."
While the Highlanders were not over-endowed with luck, they could
have lost by more but for some wayward Blues goal-kicking. Ai'i
kicked just two out of seven and Spencer, who replaced him, kicked
two out of three. Brown kicked four out of seven for the Highlanders.
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